Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-12-24
pnnp OH FOLKS.
NEW YORK c!TYS ASYLUMS FOR
THE INDECENT AGED.

VIA Wen ana hOtu w no Attenu news,
Caady and Fruit stands-Aged Blind
1Ien-Longevity and Physical yigor of
Aged ToiIers.
There are several asyluns in New York
city for the INDECENT aged of both sexes,
where on proper application they are COM
fortably provided for, free of charge; but it
is chiefly the unfortunate of the better class
--those who have seen prosperous days and
are utterly incapable of maintaining them
selves 10y their own exertions-that accept
-, the eleemosynary hospitality offered, while
the superannuated of the working classes,
accustomed to earn their daily bread by hard
labor, prefer a brave struggle for existence
to accepting the domestic retirement afforded
by these humane institutions
1t may be that the better health and lon
gevity statistieally demonstrated to prevail
among the working classes perpctuate the
family circle and afford the supcrannuated
an abiding place at home, be it ever SO
humble; for as a rule the aged who seek the
charity of the institutions indicated have no
near relatives and are practically alone in
the world, with 10 kindly hands to care for
them even if they could do little toward
maintaining themselves 1t is natural that
these unfortunates, bereft of relations and
with no prospects, should seek the retire
ment of the ''homen which the thoughtful
charity of the humane has provided for them.
Only the infirm or crippled of the lower
classes are to be found in these institutions.
The number of the aged of both sexes who
maintain themselves by attending news
stands, candy stands, fruit stands, etc, is
surprising, as revealed by a tour of the east
and west sides, especially in the tenement
4. .I...A
care of the little ones would be intrusted to
the aged grandparents in the hard working
family where both the mother and the
father go out daily to work. Unless, how
ever, the aged member of the family is con-
fined to the room by inirmity the children
are left to care for themselves and the aged
contribute to the family support by their
own eXertions
THE AGED BLIND.
As rule, the aged blind among the poor
maintain themselves, and perhaps contrib
ute to tho support of the family, by beg
ging, being led to their accustomed places on
some frequented thoroughfare by the mar
ried son or daughter with whom they dwell
on their way to work in the morning and
back again on their return in the evening 1t
is fact that cannot escape observation that
the blind men predominant; that there are to
be encountered in n stroll ten blind men to
one blind woman beggar, and patient inquiry
reveals the fact that blindness is as rare
among women rs badness The writer has
only discovered three blind women seeking
aims to the thirty blind men he has encoun-
tered on tho popular thoroughfares on tho
east and west sides The hunters on the
prairies allege as one reason for wearing their
hair long that it preserves the eyesight, and
perhaps we may find in the similar custom of
women an explanation of the fact that
blindness is comparatively SO rare in the sex.
The superaunuated females among the poor
are more active than the men, whose in
dustry in earlier life has perhaps sapped
their vitality, and frequently the old women,
looking often more like witches than human
beings, are to be seen vying with the juven-
lies i'll gathering wood from the debris of
buildings or dismantled houses, and display
ing az inclination to a youthful agility and
strength that is remarkable for their years.
Since the systematic gathering of the garb-
age by the wagons of the street cleaning de-
partment the old women rag and garbage
pickers have disappeared, excepting from
the neglected quarters of the tenement house
districts, where however, they are still to be
encountered with their male rivals, hook in
hand and bag slung over the shoulder.
1t is to be observed that nearly all the
street stands in the poorer districts are at
tended by old folks, who are thus actively
employed from morning till night, and these
have not the comfortable booths that many
similarly engaged have in other parts of the
city, but their rude stand of a few boards is
generally situated at the door of a draughty
hallway or a window where they must suffer
from the exposure, yet all of them show the
most rugged vigor. 1t may be doul-ed if
these vendors really maintain themselves on
the profits of a few cents they realize, but
they contribute something, and are not
drones in the busy hive,
CLAIMS TO OLD AGE.
Like the servile darky in the south, these
old folks are apt 10 claim greater number
of years, probably through forgctfulness,
than they are really entitled to, and few of
them, according to their own statements, arc
under 65 years Of age. II must be confessed
chat they always fully "look' the advanced
age they claim, hard work and dissipation
having left marks on their faces and forms,
50 that while they are physically vigorous
and wiry they are worn and senile il ol'-
pearancc, sometimes 10 4 pitiable degree.
The hearty, Ilschy, rosy faced great grand
nother Of the comfortable home, OF sprCco
bald headed grandfather who still coasul1s
the almanac is not to be found among those
obviously overworkcd and careworn toicrs
foi their daily bread The life Of these has
been Il battle since childhood, and they show
tie scars Of the struggle; but their habits Of
activity have endowed them with n rugged
vieor in their seniiity, which is generally
dcied the more favored who have lived ia
ease and comfort
In The outlying market gardens il tie
suburban districts many superanuuatcd ci-
SONS %. ha.b sexes are TO be found working IN
81. $1,000 - lo1.----- IL